Ohio voters passed both statewide issues on the ballot Tuesday, according to unofficial election results published by the Ohio Secretary of State’s office.
With the passage of Statewide Issue 1, a constitutional amendment, Ohio will now allow for late-term abortion through all nine months of pregnancy, nullifying the state’s current law, which permits abortions up until 22 weeks of pregnancy for any reason.
Decision Desk HQ projects Ohio Issue 1 has passed.#DecisionMade: 8:51pm EST
Follow more results here: https://t.co/8sug2Xq9ic pic.twitter.com/Kzt7xiMQo8
— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) November 8, 2023
In addition, with Tuesday’s passage of Issue 1, the state’s current law allowing exceptions to protect the mother’s life and prevent “substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function” to her body after the allotted 22 weeks of pregnancy is also deemed irrelevant.
Protect Women Ohio, a “pro-parent, pro-woman, pro-life coalition” that released an array of advertisements through the election cycle featuring politicians and activists urging Ohioans to vote no on Issue 1, released the following statement Tuesday night reacting to the election results:
Our hearts are broken tonight not because we lost an election, but because Ohio families, women and children will bear the brunt of this vote. When Michigan voters passed a similar amendment last year, they were sold the lie that parental rights would be unaffected, that late-term abortion would remain illegal, and that women’s health and safety standers would not be touched. But just last week, the Michigan legislature voted to repeal penalties for partial-birth abortions, to eliminate health and safety protections at abortion facilities, and they called parental consent laws “unconstitutional.” They even vowed to come for informed consent laws and 24-hour waiting periods next. We know the same barbaric attacks on parents and children are now coming home to Ohio.
But rest assured: the pro-life movement is more united than ever. We stand ready during this unthinkable time to advocate for women and the unborn, just as we have always done. We persevered for 50 years to overturn Roe v Wade. Ours is a movement that has always endured, and always will. Tomorrow, the work starts again as we fight to be a voice for the voiceless and advocate for women and parents.
We know that Issue 1 does not represent Ohio values. It took $35 million in out-of-state funding and ads filled with fear and deceit to push through the most radical abortion agenda in the country. An agenda that will cement late-term abortion in our constitution, strip parents of their rights, and wipe out health and safety protections for women. This is not the Ohio way, and we are united in our fight against these extreme policies.
We would like to thank Governor DeWine for his leadership – Ohio is a safer place with him at the helm. Our medical community, church leaders, the Catholic Conference and Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America were invaluable partners in this fight, and together we will continue this critical work to protect Ohio families. We are just getting started.
Ohio voters also passed Statewide Issue 2, an initiative to legalize recreational marijuana in the state. Once the measure takes effect, adults over 21 will be allowed to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, up to 15 grams of marijuana concentrate, and grow up to six plants at home.
Decision Desk HQ projects Ohio Issue 2 has passed.#DecisionMade: 9:12pm EST
Follow more results here: https://t.co/8sug2Xq9ic pic.twitter.com/kKAhIEhyXk
— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) November 8, 2023
Tuesday’s passage of Issue 2 makes Ohio the 24th state in the nation to legalize recreational marijuana.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Abortion Supporters” by Fibonacci Blue. CC BY 2.0.
